Universal joint



J an. 23, 1923.

i l l W. F. BOCKHOFF.

UNIVERSAL JOINT.

FILED MAR.25,1920.

Patented Jan. 23, 1923.

UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM F. BOCKHOFF, OF RICHMOND, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONAL AUTO- MATIC TOOL COMPANY, OF RICHMOND, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

UNIVERSAL JOINT.

Application filed mm; 25, 1920. some in. 868,525.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM now, a citizen of the United States, residing, at Richmond, in the county of Wayne and State of Indiana, have invented oertaln new and useful Improvements in Universal- Joints, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates more especially to universal joints through which power is transmitted, as for example in the case of multiple drill spindles. The object is to provide a simple and strong joint whose parts are few in number and of no such unusual character or form as to require any special or exceptional treatment in their production. All the individual parts are of rather conventional type and can be economically and expeditiously turned out in quantityproduction by ordinary machine-shop practice. The parts are adapted to be assembled with the utmost dispatch and when asSem-' bled not only supply a joint of great strength and power-transmitting capacity,

but one which is proof against derangement under any of the great variety of conditions in use.

In the drawings which accompany and i in longitudinal section, and Fig. 3 in crosssection.

The numeral 2 designates the usual tubular heads which are pinned to the shafts,-

and each formed with a pair of arms or jaws 3. The numeral 4 designates a oouplin member in the form of a substantiall soli cube which is straddled two ways y the said arms or jaws. The latter are bored and countersunk to receive headed studs 5 and the cube is bored in like diameter for the passage of these studs to its hollow center from the four directions. The block or cube is bored'in fairly large diameter from end to end and the four studs project to an appreciable extent inwardly beyond the interior cylindrical wall of the cube, their inner ends being beveled on opposite sides as most clearly shown in Fig. 3, so that the nest together at the center of the block. These inwardly projecting ends of the studs are diametrically drilled to provide through-openin s, the outermost parts of which will come sustantially flush with the interior wall of F. Booiipose of supplyin to facilitate han ling the ring both when the block. Plain pins 6 are received in these openings through the studs, being of a length to extend an appreciable distance beyond eachside ofthe same. These pins lie snugly-a ainst the inner wall of the block and hol the studs .in securely with their heads seatin in the countersinks of the openings int e arms or jaws of the tubular heads. It not absolutely emential that the studs have heads; they might be erfectly plain, in which case there woul be no countersinking in the arms or jaws and inward movement of the studs would be limited b their contact with each other where their -beveled inner surfaces'meet together. At the same time there is a decided advantage in using headed studs particularly in cases where the outside diameter of the forked heads is required to be kept down to small dimensions. Thus the heads of the studs serve to resist spreadin of the arms of the forked heads and a lig ter cross section-of arms will serve. Of course this antispreading function of the headed studs is dependent upon ad uate securing of the studs 'a inst outwar movement, which is accomp ished by the crosspins 6.

In the interior 0 lindrical wall of the block at a correspon ing distance from each .end there is formed an encircling groove 7,

the distance between the two grooves being equalto the length of one of the studretaining pins 6. Each of these grooves is adapted to be occupied by a spring ring 8 of split character for contraction in bein forced into'theend of the main bore of t e block and then ex ansion into the groove. The depth of the utter is about half the diameter of the wire out of which the spring ring is made so that the latter may obtain a secure seat while at the same time projecting amply over the ends of the pins 6, Each spring ring is preferably formed with an inwardly turned extension 9 lying across its diameter and bent or humped for the pura convenient formation inserting it and when occasion arises for removin 1t. i

It will be seen that with the two spring rings in place the retaining pins which hold the studs in are themselves securely guarded at both ends so that there is no chance for them to come out. It will further be 21p ios parent that the objects rimarily stated are thoroughly accomplished by the construction above described.

I claim:

1. A universal joint comprising forked heads, an open-center coupling block, connecting studs projecting into the center of the block, cross-pins running through projecting ortions of the studs, and means for positive y confining the pins. 7

2. A universal oint comprising forked heads, an o en-center coupling block, connecting stu s projecting into the center of the block, crosspins runnin through the studs, and ineans engagin t e ends of the pins and the interior we of the block to old the pins in lace.

3. A universe joint comprising forked heads, an open-center coupling block, grooved around its interior, connecting studs projecting into the center of the block, crosspins running through the studs, and spring rings engaging the grooves and projecting across the ends of the pins.

WILLIAM F. BOCKHOFE; 

